


Down a Tuscan Road...

by littlemisscurious



Series: Tom, Emmy, Ben, Ellie, Paula, Max and Sophie [52]
Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Arguing, Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-05 12:27:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4179855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisscurious/pseuds/littlemisscurious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom's wife visits him on set and doesn't quite get the reaction she had been hoping for...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Down a Tuscan Road...

“What are you doing here?” He had stopped, standing in his trailer door with a not too amused look on his face when he saw the blonde woman sitting on the sofa in the corner. Her smile faltered instantly and she fidgeted with the hem of her little black dress.

“I came to surprise you. But I suppose that didn’t quite work as well as I had hoped.” The brief smile on her face was fake and he knew but for a moment Tom didn’t say anything and instead watched her grab her brown, leather overnight bag before she stood up again.

“That’s not how I meant it. I was ju-”

“No, no it’s fine. It was a stupid idea. You are working and busy. Sorry. I shouldn’t have come. Or I should have checked with you beforehand if it were okay.” Without looking at his face, Paula tried to walk past him but he held onto the doorframe with both hands, denying her to leave the trailer.

“Please, stay. I am sorry. I just didn’t expect to see you here. And the production is, well, it’s exhausting and I am still somewhat stuck in the scene we just shot,” Tom said, quietly, his eyes not quite betraying what he was saying, too deep was he still in that role, in that scene.

Paula hesitated before she shook her head with a faint smile. “It’s okay, Tom. The first reaction is mostly the most honest one so I should go. Enjoy your break. Call me when you’re free. Or the children. They are with my mother right now.” She pushed herself past him before a rather confused looking Olly stepped into her path.

 

“Didn’t you just get here? What’s going on?” Tom’s PA looked from Paula to her husband who still stood in his trailer door watching her walk away, either too surprised or simply not willing to hold her back.

Paula shook her head and walked the same way back that she had just come a little while ago. Her feet hurt in her heels, the ones Tom loved so much wherefore she had chosen them despite their impracticality on the uneven Italian road. She had travelled all the way from London to the small Tuscan town after organising for her mother to come and look after the children while she was visiting her husband on the set of his new film. What she hadn’t expected was Tom not being pleased to see her.

 

She hadn’t visited him on set in a while although she had realised that he’d get more and more lost in his roles recently. When he’d come home previously, no trace had been left of the character he had been playing on set, while nowadays he needed some time to shake off whatever personality he had slipped into during the shoot. Today seemed no different. He disliked distractions while working although he had always made sure to have enough time for his family, whether that were his children or his wife. This seemed to have changed, too.

She had passed the makeup and costume trailers and was walking past the catering tent when she heard footsteps behind her on the road. The pace was fast and the strides long and she knew exactly who was following her and yet she didn’t stop. The overnight bag was heavy and the summer sun was merciless as it shone from the clear, blue sky above but she was determined to get to that hotel so she could leave and forget this ever happened. Running away was the easiest option even if she didn’t wasn’t to admit that that was what she was doing after all.

 

“Paula, stop.” His voice was quiet and when he had reached her at last, he wrapped his hand around her upper arm to keep her from walking away. Paula shook him off and turned around.

She didn’t say a word but simply looked at the man standing in front of her, dressed in a bespoke grey suit that fit him perfectly and accentuated everything she loved so much about him. His hair was gelled back and he looked like the perfect English gentleman he was supposed to portray after all.

“Yes?,” she said after a while, expecting him to speak first but he only glanced around at the crew that was busy carrying around props or getting the extras ready for the next scene.

“Can we not do this here?,” Tom mumbled, clearly uncomfortable.

“Can we not do what here?” Paula was in confrontation mode because his behaviour earlier had hurt her more than she was willing to admit. He could see it rather clearly in her eyes, though.

“Darling, please. This is a set and -” He couldn’t say more because with a huff she had already turned away from him again and continued walking down the street. Rolling his eyes, he followed his wife.

 

“Paula, could you stop running away for a moment?”

She stopped more abruptly than he had anticipated and he almost ran into her but managed just in time to come to a halt himself.

“I am not running away, Hiddleston. I am on my way home again because you made it quite clear that my presence here is not welcome. So if you’ll excuse me now, I have a flight to reschedule,” she answered, angrily, adding a “Call that what you will” before she left him standing in the middle of the road. A few members of the crew had stopped and looked at both Tom and her before an angry glare from the tall Englishman caused them to quickly scurry away again.

 

“Tom? We need you back on set! Becca is already waiting for you to touch up your makeup.”

Taking a deep breath, he nodded and turned away from his wife who kept walking towards the small town about a mile away. She had intended to stay there with him that night after Olly had suggested a cosy B&B as opposed to the hotel where the rest of the crew would be staying. Now she wanted to cancel the booking and go straight back home instead. Angry tears welled up in her eyes and with her glossy, blonde locks she tried to shield her face from the curious glances of those walking around.

 

It was Olly who eventually ran after her again. “Paula? Tom had to go back on set. Please, I am sure he didn’t mean it. He was just surprised, that’s all. Why don’t you stay, hm? He’ll be free from around 9 tonight and then I could send him straight to you. How does that sound, eh?”

He looked at her with pleading eyes and quickly, Paula wiped her tears away. He had helped her to get here already and to keep it secret, now he was begging her to stay to avoid that it was all for naught. Hesitantly, she shrugged her shoulders and a small smile appeared on his lips.

“Thank you. And if you want to, you can come and stay with me behind the scenes if you want to. He doesn’t have to know in case you want to punish him a bit for his behaviour. He sure deserves it.”

Paula laughed a bit despite her anger and allowed Tom’s PA to pull her into a hug who then whispered,

“I am sorry he is like this sometimes. I think he is just afraid to disappoint, you and the director and the crew and everyone really. He loves you, you know? He’s told everyone about his gorgeous wife and his adorable children. His trailer, as you will have seen, is covered in photos of you and the kids. I don’t want to excuse his behaviour but he is stressed and they make him work long hours. But I am sure he would love for you to stay, he really would.”

Paula only nodded and once he released her again, she looked at her outfit. “I think I will go and change first,” she mumbled and before she could protest, Olly had already waved over to one of the drivers standing by their cars.

***

In no time she stood in front of the small hotel where an older, Italian woman greeted her with open arms.

“Ah, welcome to Il Casolare di Libbiano. My name is Sofia and you must be Paula. What a beautiful name for such a beautiful signora. Come inside, come inside.”

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [...and into the Night](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4179876) by [littlemisscurious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisscurious/pseuds/littlemisscurious)




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